In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family
  • Flagship executive education programme integrates cross-functional management, leadership, strategy, AI and analytics with immersive learning in Dubai and Ahmedabad

DUBAI: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has opened admissions for the 25th cohort of its flagship General Management Programme (GMP), extending a long-running executive education offering to working professionals across the Middle East, the GCC, Europe, India and South Asia. The programme prepares mid- and senior-level executives to take a broader view of business and strengthen their effectiveness in roles that demand decisions across functions, markets and organisational priorities.

The nine-month IIM Ahmedabad General Management Programme, approved by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai, is now entering its 25th cohort, a significant milestone that builds on the programme’s legacy of 24 cohorts and the experience of senior professionals from diverse industries and geographies.Participants attend 100 sessions, including 60 live online sessions and 40 face-to-face sessions delivered through 10 days of immersion at the IIMA Dubai and Ahmedabad campuses. GMP develops the managerial range that senior roles increasingly require. Participants strengthen their ability to make strategic decisions, lead teams, improve organisational effectiveness and examine opportunities for innovation and operational improvement.

Speaking on the opening of admissions for the milestone 25th cohort,Prof. Sunil Sharma, Dean,IIMA - Dubai Campus, said, “Senior leadership increasingly calls for more than functional expertise. Executives must connect strategy, technology, people and performance while making sound decisions in conditions of uncertainty. The General Management Programme enables experienced professionals to widen their managerial perspective, challenge established assumptions and approach complex organisational questions with clarity, judgement and confidence.”

Investment in leadership development continues to grow as organisations contend with technological change, evolving business models and new capability requirements. Future Market Insights estimates that the global leadership development programme market will rise from USD 98.7 billion in 2026 to USD 263.1 billion by 2036, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10.3 per cent.PwC’s study of 200 senior GCC executives found that 90 per cent expect India to retain its global GCC leadership position through 2030, while also identifying skills development as a strategic priority as AI reshapes work and capability requirements.Gallup, meanwhile, identifies effective leadership as the single greatest influence on organisational performance and reports that managers account for 70 per cent of the variance in team engagement.

Previous GMP cohorts have brought together professionals with 8 to 25-plus years of experience from markets including the UAE, Kuwait, the United States, Canada, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Participants have represented functions such as customer support, supply chain, marketing, business development and sales, finance, accounting and investment, with roles ranging from managers to Directors, Vice Presidents, CXOs and business or functional heads. Their organisations span consulting, engineering, retail, technology, telecommunications, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, transportation and BFSI, giving classroom conversations a distinctly cross-sector and international character.

The curriculum progressively expands participants’ view of management. It begins with core concepts in economics, accounting, organisational behaviour, technology and decision-making before moving across marketing, finance, operations and supply chain, human resources and organisation design. Participants then engage with competitive strategy, business-model innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship and governance, alongside contemporary themes such as AI and machine learning, analytics, digital transformation, change management, ethics, sustainability and stakeholder management. The progression helps executives understand not only individual functions, but also the choices and interdependencies that shape enterprise-level performance.

The programme uses live online learning, peer discussions, assignments and a capstone project to connect management concepts with the realities participants encounter at work.Participants also examine approximately 40–50 cases across industries and business functions, drawing on cases from IIM Ahmedabad and Harvard. By working through complex, real-world business situations, participants strengthen their critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making abilities, enabling them to approach managerial challenges with greater rigour and judgement.

Through a Prepare–Learn–Reflect–Apply approach, participants establish context before each learning intervention, engage with faculty and peers, reflect on its relevance and take the learning back to their organisations. Participants who complete the programme receive an IIM Ahmedabad Certificate of Completion and IIMA alumni status, extending their association with the Institute beyond the classroom.

Link to Apply: IIM Ahmedabad GMP Batch 25.

About IIM Ahmedabad:

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) is a premier global management Institute that is at the forefront of promoting excellence in the field of management education. In more than six decades of its existence, the Institute has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice, and policy through its distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, supporting industry, government, social enterprise, and creating a progressive impact on society.

IIMA was founded as an innovative initiative by the Government, industry, and international academia in 1961. Since then, it has been consolidating its global footprint, and today it has a network with over 80 top international institutions and a campus in Dubai. Its eminent faculty members and around 46,000 alumni, who are at the helm of influential positions in all walks of life also contribute to its global recognition.

Over the years, IIMA’s academically superior, market-driven, and socially impactful programmes, have earned a high reputation and acclaim globally. It became the first Indian institution to receive international accreditation from EQUIS. The Institute is also placed first in the Government of India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), India Rankings 2025. The Institute has been ranked 35th globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education Rankings (Open) 2025. The renowned flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) is ranked 39th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2024 and the Full-Time One-Year Post Graduate Programme in Management (MBA-PGPX) has been ranked 31st in the FT Global MBA rankings 2025.

IIMA offers consultancy services and more than 200 curated executive education programmes in customised, blended, and open enrolment formats for a diverse audience comprising business leaders, policymakers, industry professionals, academicians, government officials, armed forces personnel, agri-business, and other niche sector specialists and entrepreneurs.

To know more about the Institute, please visit: https://www.iima.ac.in/

Your voice can reach the world: At JK Monitor, we firmly believe that every well-researched idea has the power to inspire change beyond geographical boundaries. We are delighted to share an encouraging message from one of our esteemed contributors, Dr. Rakesh Verma (J&K Forest Services). “His article, ‘When Trees Become Rights-Bearing Citizens: A Lesson from Canada for India’s Ecological Future,’ published on JK Monitor, received appreciation from La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, the French non-profit organisation that founded and promotes the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.”.  Read the message here
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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